Red Snow
by YulianaHenderson
Summary: "There was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know. One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen. Our World." Yep, Once Upon a Time got to me. The Mentalist rendition of ONCE! AU, all sorts of ships but mainly Jisbon, Rated T. Experiment for now.
1. Prequel

**A/N: Yep, I do admit that I become addicted to shows way too quickly – I'm not even denying it anymore, because I can't. I started watching Once Upon a Time a few days ago and I must say that I love the new touch the makers give to the Snow White tale. She is way less... vulnerable and weak in ONCE. I like that :)**

**So yes, I couldn't help but make a story with the latest information I've been given. I just couldn't, okay. I must find help for this. And oh, if you find me stupid or anything because I love doing these things: I really don't care. I really don't.**

**There are a few questions I'm going to answer first before continuing:  
Yes, I'm weird. Just look at my friends, it's like I'm looking into a mirror sometimes.  
Yes, I do admit that I have a kinda creepy addiction to AUs. I don't know where it comes from, and I therefore cannot explain it.  
No, I'm not world's best writer, but I still try. You should at least cut me some slack for trying ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, nor do I own Once Upon a Time or the Snow White fairytale.**

* * *

**_'Red snow'_**

_Once Upon A Time__,  
there was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know.  
Or think we know.  
One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen.  
__Our World._

"Oh, just stop it, will you," Charlotte snapped at her best friend Tessa. The latter girl just shrugged.

"I'm just telling you that Brad thought you looked like a fairytale character or something. I swear to God, Charlie, you should do something with your looks. It's unbelievable how beautiful you are."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "You're my best friend. You're supposed to tell me that. You're biased."

Tessa shrugged, and then sat down at a table in the canteen, looking in disgust at her lunch. She wrinkled her nose, and then looked at Charlotte. "How's your Mum doing?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her in days."

"So now you're an orphan-"

"I'm a foster kid, that's all. It's the downside of having biological parents that dropped you at the side of a road somewhere around Sacramento."

Tess rolled her eyes. "I still find it strange they did that. They didn't even bother with bringing you to a hospital. You could've died there."

"And did it look like my parents cared? They dropped me there for a reason- Hey, Brad," Charlotte said to the boy sitting down beside her. She got a few mean looks from the popular girls, but shrugged it away.

"Hey Charlotte," Brad said, and Tessa smiled before signing that she was going to sit with somebody else. Charlotte wanted to stop her, but was too late, and soon was left alone with the guy that had a crush on her but she didn't have a crush on. She hated having to be nice and polite.

"How're you doing?" Brad asked, and then took a sip of his Coke. Charlotte sighed.  
"I was doing fine until Tess left the table," she said, and Brad sighed.

"Hey, I'm trying to be nice here-"

"And I'm too. Look, I find it really cute that you have a crush on me and all, but _I don't like you_. Only as a friend."

Brad sighed again, and nodded. "I understand."

"Good."

"Charlotte Greggs?" somebody behind them stated, and Charlotte nodded, turning around. She was met with the sight of a rather strange looking girl, a what seemed like a fairytale book in her hand, if the words 'Once Upon a Time' were anything to go by. The girl had long, almost white hair, and her clothes were from last year's fashion standards. She was probably a few years older than Charlotte – at least older than twenty. This was a girl who would be typified as 'a nerd' – but a beautiful nerd, in Charlotte's opinion.

"I'm Summer. Summer Edgecombe. Can I talk to you for a minute?" the girl asked, and Charlotte looked at Brad before nodding and standing up.

"Sure."

When the two were on the silent corridors of the school, Summer handed Charlotte her book. There were drawings of fairytales on the pages, and Charlotte sighed.

"You only wanted to talk to me to tell me that I look like a fairytale character? Because that is old news, I already knew that-"

"No, that's not why I'm here. I... I heard that you don't know who your biological parents are... _I_ do."

Summer took the book from Charlotte, and skipped to a certain section of the book. She then handed it back to Charlotte and pointed at a drawing.

It was a drawing of a baby, wrapped in a towel, laying in what seemed like a wardrobe. Now Charlotte understood where this was going, kind of: there was her name on the towel.

"This baby is the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White. _You're_ this baby."

Charlotte stared at Summer, her eyes wide. "No I'm not. This is a _fairytale_, they are not real."

"Then how do you explain this?"

"If this is real – and I'm saying _if_ – then there must be somebody else who is this Charlotte. There are more fish in the sea with the name Charlotte."

"I live in this town called Storybrooke. All fairytale characters live there, yet they don't know they're fairytale characters due to The Curse. You are their only hope."

This was stupid. Was this woman for real?

"And what do you demand I should do now? Go there and magically make them remember they are people who don't exist?"

"Don't say it like that-"

"Like what? Like it's a crazy thing? Because it _is_, trust me. You can't just walk up to a stranger and ask them to come with you to some crazy named town because that person is a savior or something."

"But you _are_ the Savior."

"Okay, this is stupid, I've had enough of this. I'm going back to the table and talk to Brad which is totally awkward and you're going to leave this school and never come back. Leave me alone, I'm seventeen, I don't believe in fairytales anymore."

Summer swallowed, and took the book from Charlotte. She then nodded.

"I understand. If you ever change your mind though, you can always call me. Here's my number," Summer said, reached into her pockets and then handed Charlotte a little card.

Charlotte nodded, and watched as Summer left. She shook her head.

People nowadays.

As Charlotte walked into the canteen though, she couldn't shake the feeling that Summer was right. Charlotte had always had the ability to spot lying people and Summer didn't look like she was lying. But... _fairytales_? For the love of God, she wasn't a toddler anymore.

She waved at Brad, and then went straight to Tessa.

If this Summer was telling her the truth, then this might be Charlotte's best shot at finding her real parents.

"Please call my mother and tell her I'm off to do stuff. I won't be back for a while," Charlotte said, and Tessa frowned, looking at the girls she was sitting with. Charlotte groaned, and grabbed Tessa by her arm. "I'm leaving town, Tess. I think I just got a hint that there is a way of finding my real parents, and I'm going to find them. And nobody can stop me."

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**A/N: (It's Tessa, not Teresa, so Charlotte's friend is ****_not_**** Lisbon, fyi) **

**I'm going to explain what happened gradually, if you'll give me a chance to, at least. Because if I don't get any follows or reviews, which I would totally understand in this situation, I'm not going to continue :)**

**Even though it doesn't look like it now, this story is definitely going to be Jisbon. Like, oh my god it's gonna be full of it.**

**And ****_if_**** I'm going to continue this story, I'm gonna try to make it look like ONCE as less as possible. I hope that's possible, since ONCE is so epic. (The Mentalist is ****_legendary_****, so don't worry, I know my rating terms)**

**So leave a REVIEW if you want me to continue this story!**


	2. Tell me about the curse

**A/N: First off, thanks so much for having faith in me and this story! :) Second, hope I don't disappoint you with this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

* * *

**_'Red Snow'_**

**_Chapter 1, 'Tell me about the curse'_**

"Ma'am? Ma'am!" Charlotte exclaimed as she ran through the halls of the school. She always hated running, she preferred being lazy and laying on a couch the entire day, but she didn't have another choice. "Summer!"

That got her attention. Summer turned around, book still pressed against her chest, and much to Charlotte's shock, she had been crying.  
"Why are you crying?" Charlotte asked. Summer sniffed, and chuckled humorlessly.

"Because you're our only hope, and you don't want to help us. Why are you following me?" Summer asked. Charlotte sighed, and shrugged.  
"You seem to know who my real parents are – and I want to know who they are. I figured I had no other option."

Summer nodded.

"So are you coming with me to Storybrooke?" Summer asked.

"I guess so."

Summer's sadness evaporated so quickly that it was almost inhuman, and it was replaced with a bright smile. "Great! Come!"

Summer ran off without warning Charlotte, and Charlotte found herself running once again.

"Summer! Summer, I have one condition," Charlotte said, and Summer froze. She turned around slowly, and then nodded.

"You will tell me how you know all of this, in complete detail."

Summer nodded again, and Charlotte took in a deep breath. "Okay. Where's Storybrooke?"

-RedSnow-

"So you're trying to tell me that... that all fairytale characters are _trapped_? In _our_ world?" Charlotte asked, incredulously. Summer nodded, and turned right at the exit. The small car protested heavily, but Summer didn't want to hear any of it. "And _how_, exactly?"

Summer sighed, and a few minutes later, pulled the car over to stop in the middle of a forest.

"I will tell you, but you will believe what I'm telling you. Promise me that, Charlotte. You have to believe me."  
"I will do my best."

Summer braced herself, and then nodded.

"Alright."

_"And you, Prince Charming, will you take Snow White to be your lawfully wedded wife?"_

_Charming smiled at the beautiful woman in front of him. Her green eyes twinkled in the faint sunlight, and he found himself falling in love with her all over again._

_He nodded, and Snow's smile became almost out of proportions. _

_"I will," Charming said. The priest clapped in his hands._

_"Then I now pronounce you husband and-"_

_"Sorry I'm late," a voice said, and the doors to the hall opened, revealing everybody's biggest fear – King John._

_"John, you have no right to be here-"_

_"Oh, I'm sorry, Prince Charming, but the last time I checked, _I_ was king and you weren't."_

_Snow grabbed Charming's hand, and he looked at her, secretly reassuring her everything would be fine. But he knew that she was much stronger than he was, and if it would eventually come to a battle, she would do the fighting and he would only encourage her. The sight made him a bit happier._

_"What do you want from us?" Snow asked, and John laughed a bitter laugh.  
"I don't want anything from you. You've got nothing to give me, other than hearts and flowers. I don't want that, Snow."_

_"Then what _do_ you want?"_

_"Destroy your happiness."_

_Gasps rose from the crowd, but Snow stepped in front of Charming.  
"You won't succeed, John. You will never succeed."_

_"No? Oh, what a shame then. I came for nothing," John said, dryly, and Snow swallowed._

_"Leave us alone," she said pointedly, and John raised his sword._

_"I'm sorry, Snow White. But I'm afraid I can't let that happen," he said, and a power came out of his sword, casting a dark glow over the castle and its inhabitants. Charming pulled Snow closer to him, but she gently wriggled away from his hold. He looked at her, frowning, and she shook her head._

_"It's okay, I can handle this," she whispered, and Charming nodded. She stepped off the little platform where she had just been wed to her prince, and approached John._

_John stared at her. Apparently, he hadn't expected her to do something like this._

_"What have you done?" she asked, gently, and John lowered his sword._

_"What I should have done earlier, dear Snow," he replied, in the same gentle tone as she had spoken, and approached her until the two met, their faces inches apart. "Destroy your life."_

_"You destroyed my life a long time ago, John."_

_"Except it wasn't enough destroying, _Snow_," he hissed, and stepped back from her. He addressed the crowd again._

_"What I just did was casting a curse upon you. All of you. Soon everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you forever. Out of your suffering will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness if it is the last thing I do."_

_And with that, King John and his men left the hall, leaving behind a stunned crowd and Prince Charming, and a furious Snow White._

"Was that the curse you were talking about?" Charlotte asked. Summer sighed, and nodded.

"John is an evil king. People also know him as Red John – he wants to see blood."

"Whose?"

"That doesn't matter. Most times, it was Snow White's blood."

"What had she done to make the king so angry at her?"  
"Being born, I guess. It's really a long story... Apparently, Snow destroyed his happiness, and in return, he destroys hers. Evil doesn't make any sense sometimes."

"Okay..." Charlotte said, taking everything Summer had just told her in account.

So there was some magic land where all fairytale characters we knew lived together, and there was a curse. It still did not make any sense at all.  
"And after the curse, they ended up in Storybrooke?"

_"What are you gonna do then, Snow? Stop him? You know you can't," Charming said, and Snow White sighed. She rubbed her swollen belly, and turned towards Charming.  
"I know I can't. He won't listen to me. But I have to try. It are _our _people in danger, Charming. I have to help."_

_"But you're _pregnant_-"_

_"I could very well be disabled and blind, I don't care! It is my fault that John did this. _I_ destroyed his life, nobody else. _I _have to stop him."_

_Charming sighed, and gathered Snow in his arms.  
"But I can't lose you nor the baby."_

_"You won't. I promise. We'll be together, I'll make sure of that."_

_"Your Highness, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we demand your presence at the meeting with the rest," Luther said, and Charming nodded. He stepped away from Snow, and was about to follow to man when he noticed Snow was close behind him._

_"Snow," Charming said, but she just grabbed his hand._

_"_Charming_," she replied, and Charming rolled his eyes, before giving in and squeezing her hand._

_"You stubborn woman," he muttered under his breath, and judging from the way she almost painfully squeezed his hand, she'd heard._

_-RedSnow-_

_"This, Your Highness, is a magic wardrobe," Luther explained, and he clapped in his hand. A tree entered, pulled forward by a few of Charming's men. Luther chuckled quietly at seeing the tree. "Well, it ought to be a wardrobe eventually. We have Geppetto to make a wardrobe out of it."_

_Luther pointed at Geppetto, who was nodding and smiling faintly at the prince and princess. _

_"When it is done, it will bring any person that enters it into another world. A cruel world, but it will save the person from any harm The Curse will commit here."_

_Charming and Snow smiled at each other, seeing that this was their saving. Luther saw, and swallowed, lowering his head._

_"There is one downside, though. There is only room for one."_

_The smiles of everybody at the table faltered. _

_"Come again?" Snow said, and Luther swallowed again._

_"The fairies will put as much magic in the wardrobe as possible, but it is only going to be enough for one."_

_"Snow will go," Charming immediately said, and Snow froze._

_"What? No, you'll go."_

_"But you're pregnant-"_

_"And I love you too much to let something happen to you. Charming, it has taken so long for us to get here... you deserve this more than anybody."_

_Charming shook his head. "I promised to protect you, and I won't stray off that path. You will go, and I don't want to hear another word."_

_Snow leant back into the big chair, and sighed, once again brushing her belly. "Fine, I will go. But I will come looking for you. For all of you."_

_And so it was set – Snow White would sit in the wardrobe when The Curse arrived._

_-RedSnow-_

_Too bad fate had something else in store for the young couple._

_"It's gonna be okay, Snow, it's gonna be just fine. Keep breathing, my love," Charming whispered in Snow's ear, but she in return just squeezed his hand, almost pulverizing all the bones in it. Charming winched, but didn't claim back his hand. Instead, he placed a kiss on the top of Snow's head, as another contraction came and Snow screamed out in pain._

_"I love you, Snow-"_

_"Just shut up and make this stop!" Snow hissed, squeezing his hand even tighter. Charming brushed a strand of hair out of her face. The contraction ebbed away, and Snow started sobbing, burying her face in the crook of Charming's neck, twisting her body in an awkward position. "I can't do this anymore, Charming. I can't..."_

_"You have to, Snow. You can't go back now," Charming whispered, then found a way of making her forget the pain for a few seconds. "You were so stubborn to get on that horse while you knew the baby could come every moment, now you just have to bear the consequences."_

_Snow slapped his chest, and Charming chuckled, before winching when she painfully squeezed his hand again._

_"Now push again, Your Majesty," the doctor said, and Snow did as the man ordered her._

_A knock on the door stopped all of them, and Charming and Snow exchanged some worried looks._

_"Come in."_

_Luther came in, and Snow immediately shook her head.  
"Don't... say it," she breathed between puffs. Luther lowered his head, and took in a deep breath._

_"The Curse is here. You have to decide who will go into the wardrobe, Your Highness."_

_Charming seemed to have already made the decision, and was about to tell the doctor that Snow would still be in the wardrobe, when the man shook his head._

_"She can't be moved now, Your Highness. I'm sorry, but it is either you or the baby."_

_"Then it will be the baby-"_

_"Charming!" Snow exclaimed, and when the doctor immediately stopped talking with the two other men, Charming knew the baby was there. As Snow's screams grew louder and her hold on Charming's hand grew impossibly tighter, they were met with the cry of a new-born._

_Snow's body went numb and the doctor handed the little baby to Charming, who immediately placed it in Snow's arms._

_"What is her name?" the doctor asked, in an attempt to make this moment as sweet as possible, even though everybody knew that The Curse was approaching and it couldn't be sweet._

_Charming looked into Snow's eyes, and they smiled as bright as physically possible._

_"Charlotte," they said in unison, and Luther and the doctor smiled as well._

_Charming sobered when they all heard loud noises from outside the castle, and Snow shook her head._

_"No..." she whispered, and Charming brushed her cheek._

_"It is our only hope, Snow. She will come back to save us, I know it."_

_"Charlotte," Snow breathed, before Charming linked his and Snow's lips in a passionate kiss. When he pulled away, Snow was crying, which surprised all of them._

_"She's so beautiful," Snow whispered, and Charming nodded._

_"She looks like her mother," he replied, and despite her tears, Snow rolled her eyes._

_"Your Highness," Luther interrupted. Charming gently took Charlotte away from Snow. _

_"I love you, Snow," he said, and as the prince exited the bedroom, Snow broke down and cried. In a time span of thirty seconds, she had both gotten a baby and lost it. And if Luther was right, The Curse could be here any moment and everything was going to be destroyed and she was also going to lose her husband._

"But now, nobody knows it anymore? That they're a fairytale character, I mean."

Summer nodded.

"And you said that nobody can leave Storybrooke?"

"They can't, no. If they do, bad things happen."

"Bad things?"

"Car crash, heart attack. Bad things. Also, nobody can enter Storybrooke if they don't belong there."

"But... if nobody can leave town, or enter it, then how can I enter it? And how could you leave it?"

Summer shrugged. "I'm not sure about that. But all the stories of the people in the town are written in this book. I've read the book thousands of times, and I can match most characters to people in town, but I still can't find out who I am. Guess I'll never know then."

"And you're saying that... that I'm the Charlotte from the book. The daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White?"

Summer nodded, and started the engines again. Charlotte sighed, and looked at the book that was placed in her lap.

"And what is your plan for bringing back the people's memories?"

Summer smiled, but Charlotte wasn't sure whether she was smiling because of Charlotte's foolishness or the fact that they passed a sign saying 'Welcome in Storybrooke'.

"We'll see when we get there, won't we?"

When Charlotte sighed, and looked away, Summer's smile widened even more.

Because the town clock, that had stopped ticking for seventeen years, had started ticking again.

* * *

**A/N: I know most people already kinda know who Prince Charming is, but Snow White? Do you know who Snow White is? It's not so hard, just think about it :D. It's gonna take a while before I officially reveal that piece of information, but you can guess. I mean, I revealed her eye color. Now, how many women in the show have green eyes? :P**

**And you should appreciate the Jisbon you get now, 'cause it ain't gonna be all hearts and flowers in later chapters :)**


	3. The conscience never lies

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**

* * *

**_'Red Snow'_**

**_Chapter 2, 'The conscience never lies'_**

"Su-u-ummer," somebody said as soon as Summer and Charlotte entered the seemingly only diner in town. Summer smiled, and made a salute movement to the owner, before pointing at one of the booths and sitting down herself.

"So if everybody is a fairytale character," Charlotte started after they both had ordered drinks, "then who is he?"

Summer looked at the owner that was frantically fixing their drinks, and then at the book that Charlotte had placed on the table. Summer moved the closer to herself, opened it and then showed Charlotte a page in it.

Charlotte looked at it, and then frowned.

"Jiminy Cricket?"

Summer nodded.

"I thought Jiminy Cricket was a _cricket_ in the original fairytale. This man doesn't look like a cricket."

Summer chuckled, and held up her hand. "That is the _original_ fairytale. This is a different version, Charlotte. The stories are not as you might know them from your childhood. It's complicated, you should read the book to know the character's relationships. But the fact that Snow White has a baby in this book is already prove that it is a different version than the original one."

Charlotte nodded, and looked at the drawing in the book. It wasn't that Summer had thought it through very much, the man in the book and the man currently getting them drinks just looked very much alike.

_"Jiminy, here, NOW!" the raging voice of Jiminy's mother came, and shudders ran over his back. Why couldn't these people just leave him alone? He didn't want to be bad, he wasn't made for it._

_"Jiminy, I won't say it twice!"_

_"I'm coming, mother," Jiminy replied, sighing, and exited the caravan._

_"Ah, there you are, my dear. Now, come here, and help me with dinner," his mother said. Jiminy felt a rush of excitement flow through him as he thought about denying his mother's wish, but then decided against it. Even though he wanted to be good, with all his heart, nothing good would come from protesting against his parents. In the thirty years in which he'd lived now, he knew that far too well._

_"Yes, mother."_

_She smiled as Jiminy sat down beside her. "I knew you would help me. It's hard to please your father, you know? So picky he is, our George. God knows I tried to help him off that trait, but stubborn, oh."_

_Jiminy's insides clenched. He just wanted to get away from here._

_"Mother?"_

_"Yes dear?"_

_Again, the clenching. Why did she call him 'dear' all the time? She didn't give a flying one about him. The only thing he did well was making sure his parents didn't have to do all the hard work._

_"What would you say if I wanted to leave?"_

_His mother froze, then he saw the tell-tale signs of anger in her features, and not long after, she angrily put the stuff she was holding on the table and faced Jiminy._

_"That crap again? I told you many times, Jiminy. You're not ready to leave. You're nothing without us. You wouldn't last a day out there."_

_"But can't I try?"_

_"No, you can't! Now stop whining and finish this dinner!"_

_Jiminy swallowed, and sighed. "Fine, mother."_

_-RedSnow-_

_He had had enough of it. He didn't want to be bad anymore – and this time, he was absolutely sure. No retreats, no excuses – he was going to escape his parents._

_He grabbed his cloak from the table, and just when he was about to leave the trailer, he heard footsteps behind him. His heart sank._

_"What do you think you're doing?" a low voice said, and Jiminy swallowed._

_"Uh... Getting some fresh air."_

_"The air's fresh enough in here. Get back to bed."_

_"Father, I need to get-"_

_"Back in bed, yes! I won't ask it twice!"_

_Jiminy stood frozen to the floor, not knowing what to do, but when he heard his father approaching, he suddenly had a lot of courage, and with one swift motion, he had punched his father in the face, and the old man fell backwards due to the impact._

_Jiminy gasped, but he knew what he had to do. He quickly checked for a pulse, and when he found one, he let out a sigh of relief._

_He then grabbed his cloak again, and left the trailer._

"Here you go, Summer," the man said, and Summer smiled at him.

"Thank you, Wayne. Business fine as usual?" she asked, and Wayne shrugged.  
"Could be better, but I'm not complaining either. Just a normal week, I guess."

"Well, I'm glad," Summer smiled, and then suddenly realized that Charlotte was still sitting there, at the other end of the booth, waiting to be introduced.  
"Wayne, this is Charlotte. Charlotte, this is Wayne Rigsby. He owns the diner," Summer said, and Charlotte nodded. The girl extended her hand, and the man seemed more than eager to comply, and shook it.

"But most people call me Rigsby. Now that I think about it, Summer is the only person that actually calls me Wayne. Why, exactly? Do you have a crush on me?" Rigsby teased, and Summer rolled her eyes.

"Whatever," she murmured, and made a dismissive gesture with her hand, indicating the man should leave now or else he would get in trouble. Rigsby chuckled.

"Just don't make her drink your tequila shots. From the looks of her, she's not even an adult yet."

Summer rolled her eyes. "You're my conscience or what?"

"You got that right, sister," Wayne said, and Charlotte chuckled. Summer just groaned, and both women watched as Wayne walked back to the counter.

"He thinks he's so funny," Summer complained, and Charlotte smiled.

_What had he done? He had left his parents. Had left them behind. He never should've done that. Never, ever. He was a bad son-_

_"You're not a bad son, Jiminy," a small voice said, and Jiminy startled almost violently. _

_"Don't be scared, I didn't mean to frighten you."_

_Jiminy turned around, and was surprised to see a fairy next to him._

_"You did what you felt was right for you, Jiminy. Standing up to your parents. That's very, very brave."_

_"But I didn't want to hurt them."  
The fairy nodded._

_"Can I make it up to them?"_

_"I'm afraid not, Jiminy. If you go back now, nothing good will come out of it. They won't be so nice with you this time."_

_"But I don't want to be bad anymore! That's the whole reason that I left my parents in the first place!"_

_The fairy nodded again, and then, the two were silent.  
"There might be a way to be good again," the fairy said suddenly, and Jiminy's eyes widened. _

_"Really?"_

_The fairy nodded once again, and then raised her wand, making a few pointed movements._

_"What did you do?" Jiminy asked. The fairy chuckled._

_When Jiminy looked down, he gasped._

_"I'm a cricket!"_

_"Yes, you are. This way you will be able to live longer. There is a boy in town – he's an orphan. He needs a protector. Can you be his protector, Jiminy?"_

_Jiminy frowned. "I think so."_

_"Then go look for him. Tell him why you're there. As long as you're not selfish, and you will always lead him like a good conscious, you will be considered a good person, Jiminy."_

_Jiminy took a few moments to think this over, then nodded._

_"What is his name?" Jiminy asked. The fairy smiled, and pointed to the town._

_"Geppetto."_

"So my plan for now is to first get you introduced to the town's people, then we'll see what to do with The Curse thingy."

Charlotte nodded. She was glad she came along with Summer. This was more adventure than she'd had in years.  
Her phone buzzed against her hip, and she groaned.

"That's probably my foster mother, asking me where I am," Charlotte murmured, and answered the phone.

"Hi Susan-"

"Charlotte Anne Greggs! What did I tell you about leaving home without telling me where you're going? Where the hell are you now anyway?"

"I'm somewhere you don't have to be-"

"What's that for answer?"

"I'm seventeen, Susan, you don't have to follow me everywhere I go. Just because you've got a big house and are loaded doesn't mean that you have all right to tell me what to do and what not to do. You're not my mother and you'll never be my mother. Now stop calling me, I'm somewhere safe and I don't want you to follow me. Bye Susan," Charlotte snapped, and stopped the conversation.

Summer was staring at Charlotte, and the younger girl just chuckled.

"Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet."

"If that was your foster mother, how are you going to react to seeing your real mother?"

Charlotte froze, and then swallowed. She shrugged. "I've never thought about that. But I think that if I do meet her, then I will be happy. Ever since I can remember, I wanted to find out who my real parents are."

"And that's the reason you came along with me?"

Charlotte nodded. "But I do want to help you."

Summer smiled. "You didn't look like that when I arrived at your school."  
"Well, hello, what did you think I would've have done? Suddenly join a stranger who told me that I'm the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White? You know that that looks really strange on my CV, right?"

Summer rolled her eyes. "If this going to work out, you're never getting back here again. When The Curse is broken, everybody will get back to fairytale land. Or so I hope. I don't know what Red John did with the land, actually."

Summer sighed, and took a sip of her drink. Then, she took in a deep breath and nodded.  
"Yes."

"What yes?"

"Let's get you to my house. You must be tired."

"You're _making_ me tired."

_"Father, I'm tired of doing this," Prince Simon said, as he had to perform his newest move for the umpteenth time. His father just shook his head, the movement accompanied with a dismissive gesture of his hand._

_"You cannot say this when you are in a battle, my son."_

_"Perhaps I don't want to fight, Father."  
"You don't have a choice, son. Our kingdom is at war."_

_Simon lowered his sword, and sat down on the throne next to his father. _

_The king wasn't stupid – of course he saw his son wasn't happy. But the only thing the prince wanted was a _woman_, and that was the last thing he needed – what this kingdom needed._

_"Can't we make a truce with King John? That's what this is all about, isn't it? You are both afraid to lose your dignity if you give up."_

_"Don't you dare say something like that-"_

_"It's only the truth, father. I'm sure you and King John only want what's best, for both your kingdoms. Then find a way to do just that, because I will not fight for you when our kingdoms are at war at last. I'm tired of fighting."_

"I'm not making you anything, Charlie. Your mind is making you."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. "So now it is _my_ fault."

Summer shrugged, and got up. "Your words, not mine."

* * *

**A/N: Leave me a REVIEW, please!**


	4. Author's Note

**A/N: Okay, you may all kill me now, you've got my permission, but I'm not going to continue this story. Maybe I am in some future, but due to my inspiration for this story being gone and a lack of response from you (and I don't blame you, and I'm not angry or anything, but as a writer, at least some response is really appreciated sometimes) I decided not to pick this up again. I've tried to write several next chapters but the page stays white. It's really frustrating and it doesn't work good for a creative process. I've been doubting it for 1,5 month now and I've been seriously crying because I'm afraid you won't trust me anymore but it just doesn't work anymore. So I hope you can forgive me, and embrace the stories that I _am_ able to write, because it's really difficult for me to write at the moment, due to a lot of things.**

**I hope you can forgive me, and for what it's worth, I love all of you. And I am looking forward to seeing some enthusiastic reviews from you, even if it's less than it would have been. I only have myself to blame for this.**

**I'm so sorry, but for now, Red Snow is out.**


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